Iran's Council of Guardians, the conservative body which oversees elections, Wednesday validated a further nine seats from May's second round of parliamentary elections, giving all of them to reformists.

The latest results raised to 211 the number of reformists so far known to have won seats in the 290-seat body.

The announcement, reported by state radio, covered four seats in the northwestern city of Tabriz, three in the southwestern city of Abadan, one in Zanjan in the west and another at Dorud in the southwest.

It brought to 262 the total number of seats so far validated from the two rounds in February and May.

The new parliament officially began work May 27th, despite the fact that not all its members were known - TEHRAN (AFP)